Fortunately, after three years of service with FDA, most recently as the agency’s deputy associate commissioner for regulatory affairs (our field operation), and 12 years before that as a prosecutor with the Justice Department, I feel prepared to help the agency meet these challenges head on.

I’d like to take an opportunity to share my priorities, as well as my views and perspectives on the goals and challenges ahead for FDA, as we continue to work to ensure access to quality drugs in the United States.

Tragically, last October’s outbreak of fungal meningitis from contaminated methylprednisolone injections that killed over 50 Americans and sickened hundreds more directed FDA’s attention to the immediate public health priority of evaluating the quality of sterile compounded drugs and preventing further incidents. Our efforts have included proposing a new legislative framework for federal oversight, inspecting high-risk compounding facilities that produce sterile drugs, and working more closely with our state partners.

As important as our efforts are in the compounding arena, our compliance challenges extend to many other critical areas, many of which are related to the new and growing global marketplace for pharmaceutical products.

Today, nearly 40 percent of the drugs Americans take are imported and nearly 80 percent of the active ingredients come from overseas sources. A growing number of clinical trials that test the safety and effectiveness of potential new drugs are also moving overseas, making FDA oversight more challenging. Counterfeit drugs are proliferating around the world and sometimes even entering the U.S.supply chain. The ever burgeoning worldwide use of the Internet continues to spawn avenues for illegal online sales of medicines of unknown safety and quality. Also, poor manufacturing practices that lead to facility shut-downs often contribute to shortages of important drugs. We must ensure that wherever drugs are made, wherever their ingredients are from, or wherever and however they are tested and sold, that they meet FDA’s strict standards of quality and that they remain in adequate supply.

Despite these challenges, there’s good news. The Food and Drug Administration Innovation and Safety Act of 2012 (FDASIA) gave FDA powerful new tools to enhance our compliance and enforcement activities including stronger authorities and funding to support the inspection of foreign manufacturing facilities. For example, FDASIA facilitates our ability to partner with and work more effectively with foreign regulatory agencies. FDASIA also gave FDA more authorities to control the drug supply chain.

However, laws on the books do not automatically translate into effective change without effective implementation and enforcement of these laws. So, in addition to continuing our critical work with Congress on appropriate and effective oversight of compounding that exceeds the bounds of traditional pharmacy compounding, my other key priority is to work to implement FDASIA’s provisions, keeping CDER focused globally and armed with the best set of tools possible to do the job. Although we have much more work to do, a vision of enhanced capabilities of ensuring quality drug products for the American public is well in sight.

I have the distinct privilege and responsibility of being part of a fantastic team of dedicated FDA staff that’s really making a difference, and I look forward to continuing to serve the American public in working to ensure access to quality drugs.

Howard Sklamberg is Director of FDA’s Center for Drug Evaluation and Research’s Office of Compliance

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FDA's official blog brought to you from FDA's senior leadership and staff stationed at home and abroad - sharing news, background, announcements and other information about the work done at the FDA on behalf of the American public.